NBA Player News

Fontecchio (groin) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Hornets.

Fontecchio will miss a second straight game due to a left groin strain. The Heat's wing rotation is currently depleted with Norman Powell (groin) and Nikola Jovic (back) also sidelined, which should lead to expanded roles for Pelle Larsson and Kel'el Ware. Fontecchio's next opportunity to suit up will come Sunday against the Pistons.

Bogdanovic is questionable for Friday's game against the Spurs due to an illness.

Bogdanovic has spent the vast majority of the season outside of head coach Tyronn Lue's rotation, appearing in just two games since the start of January. While he recently saw a rare 17-minute stint Feb. 26 against the Timberwolves due to Kawhi Leonard's absence, Bogdanovic is unlikely to see action unless the Clippers find themselves shorthanded on the wing.

Jovic (back) is out for Friday's game against Charlotte.

Jovic will be sidelined for a seventh straight game and remains without a timetable to return. His next chance to play comes Sunday against the Pistons.

Wiggins (knee) is doubtful for Friday's game against the Hornets.

Wiggins is dealing with bilateral tendinitis and is expected to be held out for maintenance for the second leg of this back-to-back set. With this news, the Heat could rely more on Kel'el Ware after his monstrous showing Thursday against Brooklyn.

Embiid (oblique) will be re-evaluated in approximately one week, Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports Friday.

Embiid has been sidelined since Feb. 26 after sustaining a right oblique strain during a win over the Heat. While he remains out for the immediate future, the 76ers announced that the big man has begun individual strength work, a positive sign in his recovery process. Philadelphia has a busy slate over the next week, and Embiid will miss at least the next four contests based on this timeline. Andre Drummond should continue to start at center in the interim, with Adem Bona serving as the primary backup. Embiid's next realistic chance to suit up will likely come in mid-March, although Philadelphia might opt to take a cautious approach with the injury-prone Embiid.

Oubre (illness) was able to practice Friday and will be back in action Saturday against the Hawks, Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com reports.

After missing a pair of games, Oubre is set to return to the rotation. VJ Edgecombe (back) remains day-to-day for the 76ers, so Oubre may be needed in an expanded role.

Edgecombe (back) did not practice Friday, Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Edgecombe was limited to an individual session after Friday's practice. The rookie suffered a lumbar contusion Tuesday against the Spurs, and it's unclear if he will be able to return from a one-game absence Saturday against Atlanta.

Smith (ankle) registered three points (0-8 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 11 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 42 minutes Thursday in the Rockets' 115-113 overtime loss to the Warriors.

Though Smith couldn't get any shots to fall in his return from a two-game absence, the heavy minutes he received are an indication that the Rockets aren't concerned about the health of his right ankle moving forward. The poor shooting performance should be viewed as an outlier for Smith, who had hit double figures in the scoring column while converting at a 55 percent clip from the field and 45.1 percent clip from downtown over his previous 13 appearances.

Melton ended Thursday's 115-113 overtime victory over Houston with 23 points (10-22 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals in 30 minutes.

Melton not only ended as one of the top scorers for the Warriors in this game, but he also posted a loaded line that included two or more tallies in each of the five major categories. Melton also bounced back from the seven-point output (3-14 FG) in the loss to the Clippers on Monday. He's averaging 17.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game since the All-Star break and should continue to see an elevated role as long as Stephen Curry (knee) remains sidelined.

Horford contributed 17 points (7-15 FG, 3-6 3Pt), six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal across 33 minutes during Thursday's 115-113 overtime victory over the Rockets.

Horford has alternated between the starting lineup and the bench most of the season, but he's been productive when handed a first-unit role. He has scored in double digits in his four starts since the All-Star break, averaging 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists across 28.5 minutes per game.